Baltimore Beat, September 5, 2023, The Extraordinary Life Of Anthony Williams
Williams was remembered for being anything but shy, especially when it came to sharing his personal journey of overcoming homelessness, which allowed him to make deep and lasting connections with those facing similar challenges. Also a visionary, he believed housing was a human right and that by acknowledging that fact, policymakers could end the housing crisis.
Born in East Baltimore on Aug. 22, 1963, Williams was raised in foster care and on the streets — places where, he’d often say, hunger, loss, and violence were the norm rather than the exception. Growing up poor and Black meant little hope or opportunity to build a better life. This was by design.
Half a century earlier, the city pioneered legalized racial segregation and other policies to impoverish its Black residents. At the current pace, it will take African Americans 500 years to reach economic parity, according to a recent analysis from the Institute for Policy Studies and National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
